Disintegrating apparatus



ASept. 6, 1960 c. A. RIE-rz 2,951,549

.DISINTEGRATING APPARATUS Filed April l2, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 32 Z6 ELv i 29 N .E 3/ Z7 38 7. 5/

swg /6 h MTW:- "'g/ INVENTOR. Car/ Q/'e fz sept 6, 1960 c. A. RIETz29951,649

DISINTEGRATING APPARATUS Filed April l2, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTOR.Car/ A. /Q/'e fz;

Sem- 6, 1960 c. A. Rum 2,951,649

i DISINTEGRATING APPARATUS Filed April 12. 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 iz/Ly@f Arme/VE Ys c. A. RIE-rz 2,951,649

DISINTEGRATING APPARATUS Sept. 6., 1960 Filed April 12, 1955 4Sheets-Sheet 4 FIE 5 INVENTOR. Car/ A7. P/'ea United States PatentnrsiNTEGRAriNG APPARATUS Carl A. Rietz, San Francisco, Calif., assignorto Rietz Manufacturing Company, Santa Rosa, Calif., a corporation ofCalifornia Filed Apr. 12, 1955, Ser. No. 500,808

9 Claims. (Cl. 241-185) This invention relates generally to apparatusand methods for reducing the particle size of various materials, and isapplicable to both wet and dry disintegrating and grinding operations.

A wide variety of commercial equipment is available for variousdisintegrating and grinding operations. Particularly in the foodprocessing and baking industries,

it is common to use so-called blendors for such operations as, forexample, to disintegrate and inter-mix various ingredients to form ahomogenous slurry or paste. Conventional blendors of this type employ ahigh-speed rotor provided with cutting Vblades and disposed at the lowerend of a container. Succulent materials such as vegetables, meats or thelike introduced into the container are progressively reduced to adesired particle iineness and inter-mixed to form a slurry or paste. Therotor may or may not be disposed eccentric with the vertical axis of thevessel. One of the principal diiculties with such apparatus is thatunless rthe mixture is quite fluid, it will not circulate within thecontainer to subject all portions of the solids to the disintegratingaction of the rotor. In other Words channeling or pocketing occurs, thusrequiring the contents to be scraped from the sides of the container andto be returned to a position where they are acted upon by the rotor. Inaddition to such diiculty, conventional blendors are not well adapted toa wide variety of materials, including dry or semi-dry materials such asbone, etc.

In general it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved apparatus and method which can be used to advantage in place ofconventional disintegrators of the blendor type and which greatlyfacilitates disintegrating and mixing operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the abovecharacter which has provision to facilitate charging and dischargingoperations.

Another object of the invention -is to provide apparatus of the abovecharacter having novel provision for carrying out classifying andseparating operations in conjunction with disintegration.

Additional objects and features of the invention will appear from thefollowing description in which the preferred embodiments have been setforth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is `a side elevational view partly in section illustratingapparatus incorporating the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational View partly in section illustratinganother embodiment of the invention.`

Figure 3 is a view like Figure 2 but illustrating the apparatus utilizedin conjunction with means for carrying out a pneumatic separating andclassifying operation.

Figure 4 is a Iside elevational view in section illustrating anotherembodiment of the invention, in which material is discharged throughvalve means.

Figure 4-A is a detail in section showing one of the cutting blades forthe auxiliary rotor. i

lFigure 5 is a side elevational view in section illustrating anotherembodiment of the invention.

Figure S-A is a cross sectional View taken along the line 5 5 of Figure5.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view illustrating another embodiment ofthe invention in which the container can be altered with respect to itscapacity.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view in section showing the embodiment ofFigure 6 incorporated in a two part receptacle device.

The invention as illustrated in Figure 1 consists of a container 10forming a chamber that is symmetrical about the normal verticaloperating axis 11. In horizontal section the chamber is circular. Inthis instance the chamber is formed in two sections 10u and 10b havingcooperating ilanges `12 and 13, and clamped together by means of theclamping ring 14. Suitable sealing means is provided between thesections, such as a resilient ring 16 of the O-ring type.

An operating shaft 17 is concentric with the axis 11 and extendsupwardly through the bottom wall 18. Suitable sealing means i9 preventsleakage between these parts. A rotor 21 is xed to the shaft 17 anddisposed in the lower portion of the container. This rotor consists of awheel-like member 22, together with hammers 23 pivotally carried by thepins 24.

The shaping of the container is such that the material acted upon by therotor 21 tends to be impelled upwardly along the side walls. Note thatthe container extends to a larger diameter for a substantial distanceabove the rotor, and then decreases in diameter toward the upper end ofthe container. In this particular embodiment the greatest diameter isalong the parting plane between the sec-tions lila and 1Gb. It isdesirable to provide the interior of section .10a with the verticallyextending and circumferentially spaced ribs 26, which act upon thematerial, and tend to convert its rotary movement into a verticalvelocity component. The upper section 10b can have similar spaced ribs27, which in effect form continuations of the ribs 26. Both `sets ofribs are inclined at a small angle to the vertical. In the upper part ofthe container means is provided for directing the material inwardlytoward the axis 1,1, and then downwardly toward the rotor. Thus thecover 28 for the container is formed to provide an inner surface Z9which is a surface of revolution, concentric with the operating axis 11.ln vertical section the surfaces 29 are contoured to correspond with thearc of a circle drawn from `the center 31. The inner surfaces ofsections 31a and 3117 (as viewed in vertical section) likewise arecurved, and the curvature of the surfaces for section 31h merge with the-surfaces 29; Surfaces 29 are formed in part by the inner end surface ofa plug 3-2, which is removably tted in the cover `28. This plug can beremoved for inspection or for adding materials while the apparatus is inoperation.

It is desirable to mount the container in such a manner as to permit the`apparatus to be tilted from its normal vertical position. Thus in theembodiment of Figure 1 the bottom wall 18 is mounted upon the arm 33 andthis arm in turn is pivotally carried by the horizontal shaft 34 of thesupporting standard 35. By means of removable dock-pin 36, the arm 33can be either xed in horizontal position as illustrated, or swung to agenerally upright position with the axis 11 extending horizontally. Anelectric driving motor 37 can likewise be mounted "upon the arm 33 withits shaft directly coupled to the shaft 17.

The apparatus `described above operates as follows: With the rotorstationary the cover 28 is removed and a quantity of material placed inthe container 10. The

. cover 28 is then replaced, and may be attached by suitable lockingmeans. The rotor 21 is started in operation by energizing the electricmotor 37. Contrary to the manner in which conventional blendors areoperated, the driving speed for the rotor need not be excessive.

For example the rotors about 5 inches Vin diameter the speed can be ofthe order of from 2500 to 4000 r.p.m. Material acted upon by the rotoris disintegrated by the impact action of the hammers 23 and is propelledoutwardly and upwardly along the lower expanding sides of the container.The reaction of the rotating material on the ribs v26, 27 createsvertical velocity components whereby the material is delivered upwardlyto be directed by the surface 29 inwardly and downwardly. In the region38 below the surface 29 and in the region of the axis 11, the materialcommingles and interacts with extreme violence and turbulence, and thenis delivered back to the rotor. In explanation of what occurs in theregion 38, it can be pointed out that the material enters this zone withrelatively high velocity, and that the velocity components are in arotary direction, in a direction inwardly toward the axis 1l, and in adownward direction toward the rotor. The inter-mingling of materialshaving such velocity components necessarily causes intense turbulencetogether with a distintegrating action upon solids present. In additionthorough inter-mixing occurs in this area.

The length of time required for an operating cycle will be dependentupon the type of materials being treated, and the neness desired. Aftertreatment has been carried out to the extent desired, the motor isstopped, and then the arm 33 swung upwardly to bring the axis 11horizontal. In this position all of the disintegrated material can bedischarged from the container, after which the apparatus is returned toits normal position for a new charge.

My apparatus has a number of -advantageous features. Even though themixture resulting from the disintegrating operation is relatively thickor pasty inconsistency, it will continue to function to disintegrate thematerial, instead of the effective action being interrupted or impairedby the formation of channels or pockets. The apparatus has relativelyhigh capacity for a given size of equipment, thus enhancing itsusefulness where comparatively high capacity is desirable. Itsdistintegrating action is relatively intense compared to conventionalblendors, and the apparatus can be used to advantage `on relatively hardmaterials, as for example, meat bone such as is desired in themanufacture of animal feeds, or the preparation of soup stocks. Theprogressive subdivision of solids which takes place is due to severalactions, including impacting of the hammers with the material, dischargeof the material from the rotor against the ribs 26, and the attritioneifect of the intense turbulence taking place in the zone 38. Thus arelatively hard material can be disintegrated as well as soft materialssuch as fresh or cooked succulent vegetables. Although in the foodindustry the materials being disintegrated will generally contain acertain amount of moisture resulting in a paste or slurry, the materialbeing treated may be dry or have a negligible moisture content, wherebya powdered product or meal results, rather than the formation of a pasteor slurry. Thus the apparatus does not depend for its action upon theformation of a fluid-like material which may flow back into the zone ofoperation of the rotor.

Figure 2 shows apparatus which in some respects is similar to that ofFigure l, but which is intended for the disintegration of substantiallydry materials. The container 40 in this instance corresponds tocontainer 10, and its lower portion 40a is provided with partscorresponding to Figure 1, including the rotor 21, the rotor hammers 23,and the ribs 26. The upper container part 40b is lprovided, withconcentric inlet and outlet passages. Thus a-cronduit 41 is disposedconcentric with ,the operating axis 11, and extends downwardly throughthe container section 40b. Exterior of the container the conduit 41connects with the outlet conduit 42. A smaller conduit 43 extendsconcentrically through the conduit 41, and its exterior end 44V forms aninlet. The inner end of conduit 43 is shown provided with the enlargedportion '45, which generally overlies the rotor 21. Curve portion 46serves to direct the material downwardly about conduit 41, and is asurface of revolution having its axis coincident with axis 11.

Operation of the embodiment shown in Figure 2 is as follows: A dryproduct, which may be crushed in a preliminary operation, issuppliedthrough the inlet 44, together with a current `of air. Assumingthat the rotor is being driven 'at a suitable speed, the material israpidly disintegrated in the manner previously described, and the finercomponents are carried with the air current upwardly through the conduit41 to be discharged through the outlet 42. It is an inherent featurethat suction is developed to draw air downwardly through conduit 43,while a pressure is developed to discharge air through conduit 41.Assuming continuous flow of an aii stream through the apparatus, withcontinual feeding of material, the dry divided material may becontinuously discharged through the outlet 42. When operated in thismanner some classication takes place automatically within the apparatus,with conveyance and discharge. of the finer material as the desireddegree of fneness is obtained. The classifying action can be adjusted byvertical adjustments of conduit 43. With the construction of theapparatus illustrated in Figure 2, the material is discharged upwardlyalong the sides of the container, and then is deflected by the curvedsurfaces 46 back upon the rotor. Thus there is a continual movement ofmaterial undergoing disintegration downwardly past the lower end Vofconduit 41, and across the air ilow occurring into this conduit. Insteadof feeding the device of Figure 2 continuously, it will be evident thatit can be batch fed, and the finer material discharged over an operatingperiod while continuously supplying a stream of air through the inlet 44and out of the outlet conduit 42. At the end of such an operation anyremaining undisintegrated material can be discharged from the apparatus.

Figure 3 illustrates how the apparatus in Figure 2 can be incorporatedwith novel pneumatic separating means. Thus in this instance an inclinedconduit 47 is connected with the outlet conduit 42, and the lower sideof conduit 47 is provided with a plurality of spaced and downwardlyextending outlet openings 48, 49, 50, 51 and 52. Assuming that thematerial being delivered through the outlet conduit 42 varies somewhatas to size, the` coarser fraction will be delivered through opening 48,and the iiner through the uppermost opening 52. Intermediate fractionsare delivered through openings 49, 50 and 51.

Y The apparatus shown in Figure 3 can be used Where it is desirable toprovide a plurality of classified fractions of finely divided material.Here again the apparatus can be operated continuously, or a hatch ofmaterial can be introduced into the apparatus and the disintegration andthe discharge of classified fractions carried Vout over an operatingcycle. With such apparatus it will be evident that a continuous streamof air or other gas must be sup*- plied to the apparatus by way of theinlet 44, thus providing a continuous pneumatic discharge. In someinstances the gas may be an inert medium, such as nitrogen or may be atreatment medium having one or more active components.

The embodiment illustrated in Figure 4 is provided with side means forthe discharge of material. In this instance the container 56 is somewhatmodiiied as to shaping, and is mounted upon the arm 57. The rotor 58 isattached to a shaft driven by the motor 59. Arm

which the device 66 is fitted. A device 66 forms a hopper for receivingfeed material, and for delivering such material into the interiorcontainer 56 through the opening 67. The lower face of the device 66provides a curved surface 68, corresponding to the surface 46 of Figure2. One side wall of the container 56 is interrupted by the opening 69,normally covered by the screen 71. A iitting 72 is attached to thecontainer and forms a cylinder 73 extending outwardly from the screen71. A piston or plunger 74 is fitted in cylinder 73, and attached to theoperating rod 76. A discharge opening 77 communicates with the lowerside of cylinder 73. By retracting rod 76 land piston 74, the piston canbe made to clear the opening 77, thus permitting material from thecontainer to pass through the screen 71 and out through the passage 77.Assuming that the piston 74 is in open position, and that the rotor isbeing driven, air is drawn in through the passage 67, and dischargedthrough the screen 71. Thus at the end of an operating cycle, theopening of piston 74 results in rapid discharge of material. Suitablemeans such as a bayonet lock pin 78, can be provided for retaining therod' 76 in the normal closed position shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4 also incorporates supplemental rotor means in the form ofblades 79 which are mounted on the hub of the rotor. These blades serveto chop and cut material and may be inclined as shown in Figure 4-A, tourge material toward the main rotor. They also tend to prevent materialfrom bridging or riding on top of the rotor.

The opening 67 in Figure 4 can be provided with suitable sealing orclosure means to seal the interior of the container. A simple device forthis purpose is a ball 80 which may be attached to device 66 by a cordor chain 80a. When liquid is introduced into device 66 ball 80 can bereadily lifted to permit the liquid to ow through the opening 67. Whenthe apparatus is operating, the4 pressure below the ball may besubatmospheric, in which event the ball is urged and held in closedposition. Should a pressure above atmospheric be developed, the ball isforced from its seat to provide a safety vent.

Under certain operating conditions it is desirable to tilt the apparatusof Figure 4. When there is a relatively small charge of liquid or uidmaterial in container 56, the action desired may not take place. Ifunder such circumstances the apparatus is tilted to an angle of say 45the rotor operates more effectively and the disintegrating actionproceeds as desired.

The embodiment of Figure 5 is suitable for use in restaurants and smallfood processing establishments. The container 81 in this instance isagain somewhat modified in shaping, particularly in that it has beenextended vertically. The upper opening of the container is normallycovered by a closure consisting of a conical shaped ring 82 which servesto seat a conical member 83 formed of resilient material like syntheticrubber. The lower portion 83a is flattened to form an approximate seal.This ring 82 has an inner curved surface 84, corresponding generally tothe curved surface 29 (and adjacent curved surfaces) of Figure l. Therotor 86 in this instance is provided with a single blade 87, togetherwith one or more radial ribs 87a, and the side Walls of the containerare provided with vertically extending ribs or vanes 88. The blade 87 inthis instance is formed as a flexible spring strip attached to the hubof the rotor and capable of exing somewhat during operation.

In general the embodiment of Figure 5 operates in the same generalmanner as Figure l. During operation material can be introduced throughthe member 83, including objects or fragments of substantial size.

Figures 6 and 7 show another embodiment somewhat similar to Figure 5,but with means to facilitate a change in capacity. Referring rst toFigure 6 the container 91 has its upper end fitted with the closure 92.The inner 6 surface 93 of this closure is curved to correspond generallyto the curved surface 84 of Figure 5. The rotor 94 is provided with thesingle ilexible blade 96, and with one or more ribs 97. The side wallsof the container are provided with the vanes or ribs 98. Figure 7 showsthe device of Figure 6 modified for greater capacity. The cover 92 hasbeen removed and an extension 99 applied to the container 91. Theextension 99 is in turn covered by closure 191 which is formed similarto the closure 83 of Figure 5, and which has =a lower curved surface102. The flexible blade (as distinguished from a rigid hammer) isparticularly desirable when operating upon the softer materials, such assucculent vegetables.

It will be evident that the apparatus of Figures 6 and 7 is adjustablewith respect to capacity, and therefore is suitable for domestic use orsmall processing establishments. For example, if the capacity of Figure6 is one pint, that for Figure 7 can be one quart.

l claim:

1. In apparatus for reducing the panticle size of material, a containerformed symmetrical about an operating axis and circular in section, adisintegrating rotor disposed concentric With the said axis and adjacentone end of the container, said rotor serving to act upon a quanti-ty ofmaterial and to propel the same with rotary motion along the surfacesdefining the sides of the container and towards the other end of thesame, directing means at the other end of the container for directingmaterial from the side surfaces toward the axis of the container andthen back toward the rotor with predominant directional components thatare rotary and parallel to the axis of the rotor, and valve means in thelower portion of the container for the discharge of the material, saidvalve means including a cylindrical member having one end of the samecommunicating through an opening in one wall of the container near thelower portion thereof, a screen covering said opening and conforming tothe inner surface of the container, a discharge opening on one side ofsaid member, and a piston movable from a closed position adjacent thescreen to an open position beyond the discharge opening.

2. In apparatus for reducing the particle size of material, a containersymmetrical about an operating axis and circular in horizontal section,a disintegrating rotor disposed adjacent a lower end of the container soas to provide a free space thereabove, said rotor being provided withhammer means including a free end adjacent inner wall surfaces of thecontainer and extending a substantial distance above peripheral portionsof the rotor, said rotor and hammer means serving to act upon materialand propel the same with rotary motion along the surfaces dening thesides of the container and toward the other end of the same, andmaterial defiecting means adjacent the upper end of the container fordirecting material from the side surfaces toward thte axis of thecontainer and downwardly toward the free space above said rotor, saidmaterial dellecting means defining a surface of revolution having acommon point on the axis of said rotor and adjacent an upper region ofsaid free space, said common point being spaced a substantial distanceabove said rotor, said other end of the container being provided with aclosure including a member of resilient material having a normallyclosed opening, whereby upon operation of the apparatus the materialbeing treated is directed along rotary paths in a zone of intenseturbulence created in the free space region below said normally closedopening.

3. Apparatus for reducing the particle .size of solids, comprising:means defining a chamber having a circular bottom Wall lyingperpendicular to a centrally disposed vertical operating axis; rotarydisintegrating hammer means located in the lowermost portion of saidchamber and being mounted immediately above said bottom wall on a driveshaft lying on said axis and extending downwardly through said wall,said drive shaft being connected to a source of power for impartingrotary motion to said disintegrating means and Acausing a zone ofturbulence immediately thereabove; annular chamber side wall meansinclined outwardly to lie in upwardly diverging relation for asubstantial distance above the level of said bottom wall and above thelevel of said zone; a plurality of ribs formed on the inner surface ofsaid side Wall means with the inner surfaces of each rib lying insubstantiallyparallel relation with the adjacent side wall portion, saidhammer means terminating invouter surfaces lying closely adjacent theinner surfaces of said ribs and substantially parallel thereto, saidside wall means also including upper wall portions converging upwardlyand inwardly toward said axis of rotation at the -top of said chamberand terminating in centrally disposed downwardly converging flow-guidingmeans lying in the area of said axis lof rotation at a substantialheight above said disintegrating means and above said zone, wherebymaterial acted upon by said vdisintegrating means is forced outwardlyagainst said side wall means and moves upwardly therealong to a levelabove said zone and passes to said now-guiding means where it is turneddownwardly directly into the'center of said zone along said axis.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said bottom and side wall meansserve to define a chamber which is of inverted pear shape.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, including flexible blade means mounted onsaid drive shaft and extending outwardly therefrom above said hammermeans.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said ribs are arranged in spiralrelation along said inner surface of said side wall means.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the inner extremities of saidhow-guiding means dene an axially disposed opening.

8. lThe apparatus of claim 3, wherein said chamber is mounted forpivotal movement to permit said chamber to be pivoted from a vertical toan inclined position.

r9. In apparatus for reducing the particle size of material, a containersymmetrical about an operating axis and circular in horizontal section,a disintegrating rotor disposed adjacent a lower end f the container soas to vprovide a free space `thereabove, said rotor being provided with'hammer means including va free end adjacent vinner wall surfaces of thecontainer and extending a substantial distance above peripheral portionsof the rotor, saidro'tor and hammer means serving to act upon materialandpropel the same with rotary motion along the surfaces dening thesides of the container andtoward the other endy of the same, andmaterial deecting means adjacent the upper end ofthe container fordirecting material from the side surfaces toward thet axis of thecontainer and downwardly toward the free space'above said rotor, saidmaterial deflecting means defining -a surface of revolution having acommon point on 'thel axis of said rotor and adjacent an upper region ofsaid freespace, said common point'being spaced a substantial distanceabove said rotor, the upper portion ofthe container also forming ahopper end and having a feed passage in alignment with the axis of therotor, and in the vicini-ty of said common point, and a ball disposed insaid hopper and adapted lto serve as valve means lfor closing saidpassage, whereby upon operation of the apparatus the material beingtreated is directed along rotary paths into a zone of intense turbulencecreated in the free space region below said feed passage.

References Cited in the le of this patentv UNITED STATES PATENTS 433,163Crawford July 29, -1890 1,135,795 'Hiller Apr. 13, 1915 1,230,395lFornander June 19, 1917 1,426,080 'Holt Aug. `15, 1922 1,637,678 Camillaet a1 Aug. 2, 1927 1,697,704 Wood June 1, 1929 1,874,079 Black Aug. 30,1932 1,875,817 -London Sept. 6, 1932 1,984,619 Wright YDec. 18, 19342,428,420 Green Oct.' 7, -1947 2,434,449 Wells Jan. 13,1948 2,436,767`Gerlicher Feb. 24, 1948 2,496,017 Newell et al Jan. 31, 1950 2,511,357Marty June 13, 1950 2,594,250 Tranberger Apr. 22, 1952

